


Brunchvengers

by Wonderlandleighleigh



Series: Just This Once, Everybody Lives [8]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: AU, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 19:41:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18923758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wonderlandleighleigh/pseuds/Wonderlandleighleigh
Summary: The six original Avengers meet for brunch on a sunny Sunday afternoon.





	Brunchvengers

“I’m not saying that, Tony. Nobody is saying that.” 

“But you just said it.” 

“Stop fighting and pass the ketchup.” 

“Thor, you’ve got poptart in your beard, Pal. Lemme help you.” 

“I fear that there isn’t much help for me, Banner.” 

Natasha sighs softly and watches as the five men sitting at the outdoor table with her (Clint on her right, Steve on her left, Tony next to Clint, Thor next to Steve, Bruce facing her), chatter and bicker and eat. It’s Sunday afternoon, nearly two o’clock and sunny, and everybody’s looking like they just rolled out of bed. 

She’s never, not in the decade and change she’s known him, seen Steve this casual. His hair and stubble are messy, his t-shirt is soft and a little loose, and his jeans and boots are worn. He and Stark almost match in their fashion this morning, though Tony’s got a Zeppelin shirt on while Steve’s is plain.

Thor’s looking better; healthier, not as sallow. He’s sporting his cardigan, but it’s looser on him, and he’s even wearing jeans instead of sweats. The most important detail is that he’s smiling as he lets Bruce use a napkin to brush crumbs from his beard. 

Clint snaps a photo of that, and Natasha gives him a look. 

“What?” Clint snaps. “I’m just sendin’ it to Laura. She likes the cute stuff.” 

Natasha rolls her eyes and leans over Clint to look at Tony. “Nobody’s saying a junior team is a bad idea. But there’s a lot that should go into setting up an Avengers unit. Or at least there should. As much as I respect Fury, his method of throwing us all onto a helicarrier and hoping for the best might not be a process we wanna repeat.” 

“Which is what I’m saying,” Steve agrees. “We need to be careful about this.” 

“Has Wanda made a decision about her status yet?” Bruce asks as he reaches for his pitcher of mimosa. 

“She’s in,” Clint tells them. “She’ll be reporting for duty in two weeks.” 

“But where will she report for duty?” Thor asks. “The compound is gone, and Stark is using the tower for non-Avengers business.” 

“Yeah but I bought an entire block in Brooklyn,” Tony reminds them. “And there are still six empty units in Steve’s building.” 

“Nope,” Steve says firmly. “I’m retired, and I’m not gettin’ dragged back in and if they’re right next door, it’s gonna happen.” 

“Steve’s right, it’s not fair to stick him with the active team as his neighbors,” Clint says, pointing his fork at Stark. “Especially since the tower is enormous.” 

“Why not rebuild the compound?” Bruce asks. 

“It’s hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild that place,” Tony points out. “I’m still reconfiguring my finances after the last five years now that everybody’s back. I can’t finance that right now.” 

“Is there not some sort of hall or meeting place that could be rented?” Thor asks, sipping his orange juice. “Or construct a smaller base of operations?” 

“Thor’s got a good point,” Steve says. “You could finance a bare bones compound. It’s not like you and Bruce are gonna be there, so you won’t need the amount of lab tech we had.” 

Tony sits back and crunches on a piece of bacon. “Meeting space, living quarters, maybe a training area, and a home for a quinjet...It might be doable. I’ll have to run it by the boss lady and see what we’re lookin at.” 

“How is Pepper?” Natasha asks. 

“Good!” Tony says. “Nuts. We downsized like crazy when the snap happened, but now we’ve got a few thousand people who expect to have jobs, so we’re trying having to expand again...I’m on Morgan duty most of the time, but now with the baby-vengers team in the works with Rhodey, I might start getting a little distracted again.” 

“Peter okay with the downgrade?” Bruce asks. 

Tony waves another piece of bacon in the air. “I think he’s a little relieved that he’ll have people his own age around. I mean, we’re still gonna hang out, but the other day, Harley dared him to do a backflip off the roof of the lake house and he yelled ‘yeet’ while doing it, so I think him hanging out with heroes from his generation is a good call.” 

“I’m sorry, what-” Steve frowns deeply. “What is ‘yeet’?” 

“My kids say it,” Clint chuckles. “It’s a thing they say when they’re excited or have done something they know is gonna get them in trouble.” 

Steve nods slowly. 

“In a sentence, please,” Bruce asks. 

Cling clears his throat. “Remember that time Cap yeeted himself out of an elevator window from like fifty or sixty floors up at the Triskellion and landed in the lobby on his shield?” 

“How old do you feel right now?” Natasha asks Steve. 

“So old,” Steve responds automatically. 

The group around the table laugh.

Tony grins and looks at Natasha. “Didn’t you just get back from a thing? Where were you?” 

“Wakanda,” Natasha says. “Okoye asked me to come.” 

“Funny,” Clint smirks. “Cuz I heard you requested the visit.” 

“Because Okoye asked me to,” Natasha says, stone-faced. 

“You run into Bucky?” Steve asks, glancing at her. 

“Nope.” 

“Wow, she said that quick,” Tony comments. “That was real quick. Wasn’t that quick?” 

“Fine,” Natasha snaps. “I checked in on Barnes. He’s fine.” 

Clint smirks. 

Thor tilts his head and gazes at Natasha. “And did you enjoy checking in on Barnes?” he asks, a slight smirk gracing his lips. 

Steve gives Thor a confused look and then Natasha. “Wait. What?” 

“Keep up, old man,” Tony teases. “Your best gal pal and your best friend are knockin’ boots.” 

“Wait,” Bruce says, clearly also confused. “Is that a thing?” 

“All of you just eat your breakfast,” Natasha orders. “Jesus. It’s like none of you have ever had sex before.” 

For her trouble, she gets an uproar of protests. 

“Excuse you, I’m a father,” Tony snaps. “And also my dance card has been jam packed since like...the 80’s.” 

“I have bed many a partner, thank you very much,” Thor mutters casually. 

“Married with babies,” Clint adds. 

“I’m green, I’m not dead,” Bruce snaps. 

Steve doesn’t say a word, but his ears turn a shade of red that Natasha’s never seen before as his mouth twists into a smug grin against his coffee cup.

“You are all children,” Natasha complains, crossing her arms. 

“I didn’t say anything,” Steve defends himself. 

“You didn’t have to!” Natasha cries. “Okay. Fine. Yes. James and I-” 

Steve nearly snorts coffee out of his nose. “James? The last person to call him James was his ma and he was in trouble for sneakin’ into the house after dark and it was 1933!” 

“We have a history,” Natasha snaps. “And we’re seeing each other occasionally. When I make it to Wakanda.” 

“I’m gonna rag on his ass so bad for this,” Steve says in a thick Brooklyn accent as he shakes his head. “He’s gonna call in the morning to check in and I’m gonna-” 

“Ask him how the sex is?” Tony asks. “Because inquiring minds want to know.” 

“We actually don’t,” Bruce corrects him, looking at Natasha. “I’m happy for you, Nat. It sounds...complicated, but if he’s the guy, he’s the guy.” 

She grins at him softly and takes a breath. “Thank you. And yes. Right now...he’s the guy.” 

Thor sits back, frowning as he sips more orange juice. “...how does one balance during sex with only one arm?” 

“Carefully, I’d imagine,” Tony responds. “Hey, I’m changing the topic cuz we’ve given Nat enough grief for one lifetime.” 

“Thank you,” Natasha says, blowing out a breath. 

“So, it’s been three months since we fixed the universe,” Tony goes on. “Things are slowly but surely getting back on track. Cap’s got a kid and a girl, Clint’s stopped his rage-fueled, weirdly racist killing spree-” 

“Oh, for-” 

"See I still don't know why you didn't just go find some Nazis to beat up-"

“Bruce and I are making the world a better place through science, Nat’s handling government stuff in-between Bucky booty calls-”

“I can kill you.” 

“And Thor’s ready to bake us a cake at the drop of a hat.” 

“I have gotten very good,” Thor muses.

“I know that things haven’t been perfect,” Tony goes on. “I know that what we did demanded sacrifices, and impossible decisions. But we’re here now. Together, drinking brunch cocktails and teasing Natasha for her life choices. And really. That’s what matters.” 

Natasha picks up a butter knife and throws it at him. It tings against his metal arm as he lifts up his drink. 

“Cheers.”


End file.
